by Tom Pelissero, USA TODAY Sports

by Tom Pelissero, USA TODAY Sports

MANKATO, Minn. - Minnesota Vikings coach Mike Zimmer says he hasn't settled on a starting quarterback. But the way he describes the decision between veteran Matt Cassel and rookie Teddy Bridgewater sure seems to drop a strong hint he knows what he wants to do.

"A lot of it that I have to gauge isn't just necessarily those two. It's the rest of the football team," Zimmer told USA TODAY Sports this week. "How are we doing on the offensive line? How are we doing on the defense? Because all those are factors of how the quarterback has to play."

In other words, are the Vikings - who went 5-10-1 last season and are starting over again with their third head coach since 2010 â?? convinced they'll be good right away under the new regime?

If the answer is no, the last thing the Vikings are going to do is put Bridgewater, their quarterback of the future, in a spot where he's constantly playing from behind, dropping back 40 times a game and getting the tar beaten out of him by ear-pinned pass rushers.

The feeling around Vikings camp is that Cassel is the guy. He was always the guy, even though the Vikings signed him for two years and $10.5 million months before they knew they'd trade up and draft his eventual successor in the first round.

Maybe Bridgewater lights it up in relief on Saturday against the Arizona Cardinals. Maybe the Vikings play as well defensively as they did in last week's preseason opener against the Oakland Raiders, and Zimmer feels better about that unit in the short term.

The Vikings would still have to weigh the risk of what happens if Bridgewater - and the team - struggles against an earlyseason schedule that includes quarterbacks Sam Bradford, Tom Brady, Drew Brees, Matt Ryan, Aaron Rodgers and Matthew Stafford in the first six weeks.

It's a lot less problematic from a development perspective to keep a young passer on the sideline for a while than to start him in Week 1 and end up benching him later.

"I leave that totally up to the coaching staff, because they are going to know when Teddy's ready to go or when they want to insert him," general manager Rick Spielman told USA TODAY Sports. "But I know there was a reason to sign Matt Cassel in this offseason. We have that security."

Cassel, 32, won over the locker room last season amid mass quarterback chaos. Players believed they could win with him in the huddle. Zimmer said Cassel has "done a phenomenal job so far in this preseason and in camp, making the calls and getting things out in the right way."

Bridgewater, 21, has had an impressive camp, too. There's no doubt within the organization his time is coming. But he struggled to see the field against the Raiders, had some shaky moments in practice this week and admitted to reporters Thursday he has been overthinking.

The offensive line is solid. There is an impressive arsenal at the skill positions, led by running back Adrian Peterson, wideouts Greg Jennings and Cordarrelle Patterson and tight end Kyle Rudolph. The defense is littered with questions, though. Whoever is under center may be under pressure to put up a ton of points, especially early, when the Vikings face some talented defensive fronts and aggressive coordinators, too.

That some of Bridgewater's veteran teammates privately say they are certain it will be Cassel against the Rams in St. Louis on Sept. 7 - and perhaps far beyond that - is another strong hint, though Zimmer says he won't be taking players' temperature on his first big call as head coach.

"If I listened to them with everything, it'd be a rough route," Zimmer said. "I have to do what I feel like is best for the organization - not only this year but in the future - and that might be Cassel. But it might be Teddy, too."

The latter would be an upset. And if Cassel and Bridgewater perform the same way against the Cardinals on Saturday night as they did against the Raiders, Zimmer may have his decision before he goes to sleep.